Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-29
WEST VIRGINIA POLITICS.

the fOhlNcaA NuhEcht
The Democratic Sampson has been shorn
of his strength in West Virginia. Wonder
If Lucas wasn't the Delilah?-PhiiPpi Re
publican.
Col. Frank BeckWith is announced by
his friends as q candidate for the Legisla-
ture, subject to the decision OF the con-
SentiOn which will meet On Tuesday next.
tie is, we believe, what is familiarity known
~ a Kicker: that is-he will only eau
Gus If elected) with the Democratic Legis-
latars if he can dictate his own terms, to-
wit. Provided he iavOrS the election OF a
Senator at the extra session, which ne
doubtless DOES not, he would enter into
caucus with the majority with the under
standing that the name OF a certain diStln-
guished Democrat is not to be presented To
| the caucus for consideration! To accede
! tu such a proposition would be to grant to
HIM tine power OF practical defeat OF the
gentleman he would prescribe equal to
that of the whole Legislature! You have
had, on the Senatorial question, an exam
pie OF one man power in the appointment
of Mr.. Lucas by Gov. Wilson. Isn't that
enough?
Col. Beckwith is another illustration of 4
political anOmaly-a MAJ willing to put
ON The party parapherualIa for the purpose
Of securing election, but reservlng the
right to kick out of the harness after cleo
ton when there is party work to do.
Democratic voters question the propriety
Of themselves being bound by party obliga-
ton to vote for n man because he is the
nominee it said nominee after election
claims il 10 be u right to do ~ he may
please.
The issue before the people is q very
simple one, tO-wit: Shall we elect n man
who will honor the usages of the partyan
cooperate with the majority and succeed,
or for one who will flock with a hopeless
minority and achieve nothing Ugi"id
Free Press.
The Democracy of Hardy is divided.
They have held dual conventions, and
adopted conflicting resolutions, sustaining
aud cOndCmning the action OF the anti
CamdeniteS. lfthey can endure it for a
while vet, the Republicans will relieve
them OF further reSpOnsibillty .-SOHh
| Br0RcR GdzsitC.
Ifthe man opposed to q majority rule
gets "A majority Of the votes pOlled, what
| principle will govern? viii he claim his
election, OF will he insist that the majority
ought to yield to the minority, and that
his opponent must therefore take the Office?
In short, how can the Democrats of Jetler-
sou respect and endorse the principle of
majority rule, and yet not respect and en-
dnrse it? And now eau they destroy that
principle and yet maintain n party organi-
cation whose very existence Is based upon
il? That the question that the sovereign
right Ofthe majority to Iule in party cot
ventiOus and caucuseS should become a
serious issue in u political contest in n
Democratic county like Jefferson,
illustrates how far the members
Of the party have strayCd from
the true Democratic path. We hope they
will be able TO see whittier they are drift
ing, and brayely turn their political boat
and pull away from the rocks of party dis
organization and disruption upon which
Mr.. Lucas would pilot them. 1t ought
not to be necessary to teach Democrats o.
to-day that party conventions and caucusCs
in which the right Of the majority to rule
Is iealously guarded, are the only means
by which political organizations can be
conducted and their autonomy preserved;
and that when these are ignored or aban-
dOncd by the party its disruption is Ger
tain; that when discredited or condemned,
the danger of diSintegratiOn is imminent.
-FdirmORt HdGr.
What will be the attitude of those who
defeated an election Of United States SEN
atOr by our last Legislature if two years
hence the legislature is Republican? What
apology will Governor Wilson then make
to the Democrats of this State if the law
be such that this extra session he is going
to have held cannot elect u United States
Senator and thenext Legislature should be
Republican? The State then would be, as
to Senators and q great many other things,
bodily in the hands of the Republicans,
whereas We would have had one Senator
certainly if the last Legislature had done
what was expected Of it. That the Gov
ernOr ~ his actions during the Senatorial
fight should have array ed the whole power
Of his administration on the side of disOrgan-
izatiOn is beyond the conception Of those
who stood by him two years AGO rs the
head Of the ticket of the Democratic party
in this State. That he should run any
risk OF n change in the political complexion
OF the Legislature by = future election, |
thereby losing . United States Senator, is
still more perplexing Look at the immense
stake for which the Republicans will have
to fight. Two Senators from West Yir-
ginia in sight and 4 vast deal in the dis.
lance. Can il be doubted then that large
sums OF money will he poured into the
State and vast influences he brought to bear
to gain 50 coveted q prize? That is the date !
when every office from President tO con
stable is to be filled, and should the Re
publieans get hold of the Legislature woe
he unto Democratic hopes or Democratic
institutions.
Why, then, has the Governor in his wis
dom seen tit not to convene the Legislature
for so great a purpose as electing a United
States Senator, when il was necessary 10
call 1t for other purposes -POlicy, IL does
certainly seem if nothing else, would die
tate that il there was any chance to lessen
the inducements TO Republicans TO sweep
uOwn upon US it should be done. Men do
not seek plunder where there is none,
neither do they fight so fiercely for small
stakes. Stranger things have happened
than the change from Democratic to Re
publican Of this State. IL is no stride Of a
Colossus, and If there is not a halt called
and a more conservative mode Of procedure
adopted the change will come no matter
how bitterly We may hate ii OF how
rePentant we may be after it is too late.
viii there, then, he any apology the
Governor can offer for not putting in his
proclamation this ~ one thing the Legis-
lRture in extra session should do in the
event the State is lost in 1888? VIII not
the cry go forth, I'VE could have avoided
part of this, if not all, had YOU done your
duty IN recOnvening the Legislature
Could the Governor dare raise his head for
any political Office as . Democrat if such
q result should follow? No, never. He
would be hated at every crossroads, de-
nounced by every Democrat who had life
enough in him left to raise his voice. The
blunder would stand out like sores upon a
leper. a."
Under any and sll aspects of the case